The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #51

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    I should also mention, I'm going to keep PickingMyEars' idea in play for all future posts too, taking an idea from someone else for a second take. It's a great idea, I just couldn't put together another take this week (or at least one I'd want to share)

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    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #52

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    Quote Originally Posted by mr. beaumont
    Comments on some later takes.
    TripleJazz, I'm not sure if earlier tunes were just not your bag or what, but while I always enjoyed your posts, this one--man! It just feels like you've made so much progress...your playing sounds less "excited," swings great, interesting lines...really enjoyed your (double)take.
    Some of the previous tunes are ones I’ve been shedding a while so it’s really a testament to the idea of the virtual jam. During lockdown I’ve spent hours on videos, scales, tunes, you name it but nothing comes close to getting out there and playing with people and exchanging ideas and comments. Last jam I went to was LT’s in March of last year literally a week or two before lockdown. He was telling me to concentrate on my rhythmic articulation. I didn’t really know how to do that. I tried transcribing a few tunes and recording myself and listening back. I think this thread idea has helped me so much because I’m in the boat watching as others analyze and critique others playing which in turn helps me to look at my shortcomings. When my clips get referred to and points are made it goes a long way. Everyone’s been great about being in the same boat. Cheers for creating the virtual jam!

  4. #53

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    I will post another take soon. I really enjoyed what everyone has brought to the table. I think it's important that we approach this all with an open mind, and a willingness to learn from each other.

    If Peter B. says he's still learning... aren't we all?

  5. #54

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    Quote Originally Posted by Triple_Jazz
    I thought your articulation on the first cut was great and on this cut I really dig the lines. One things for sure, you have such great tone on all the takes! I remember reading that super chops thread a while back and not understanding the approach. What are you gleaning from it and how are you using or “bastardizing”?
    Thanks for the comments re: tone! My bastardization of Superchops...

    Quick version:

    It sounds tedious writing it all out, but it’s really pretty straightforward and systematic: comp as many choruses as will fit into 10 minutes, record three solos. Try to do it every day and increase tempo to taste and minimize mistakes. Set your own limitations to fit whatever it is you’re trying to work on.

    Longer version:

    To help internalize the changes to an unfamiliar tune, I record a 10 minute backing track of me comping with fifth and sixth string root position shell voicings at a really slow tempo with zero rhythmic embellishment, just whole notes or half notes per chord over a click or simple drum loop. Then I record three 10 minutes solos in a row with a short break in between. I limit myself to a constant stream of 8th notes on the first day and try (try) to make zero mistakes. (Doing this on a regular basis with a new tune every week, pretty soon you get more efficient at learning and retaining new tunes.) I’m also making an effort to tie my fingerings to the specific shell voicings I’m using. One of the goals here is to get off the page quickly so that I am able to anticipate every change without looking at the chart and eventually to not have to think about fingerings in common keys.

    On subsequent days, I will increase the tempo of my homegrown backing track, or play along with an Aebersold or iReal/DrumGenius hybrid track, and remove the restriction of playing only a constant stream of 8th notes. The faster the tempo, the more choruses you get for your 10 minute solo. Repetition, time on the instrument, in the song, etc.

    If a song really grabs me, I’ll spend more time with the melody early on and again try to tie that to the specific shell voicings I am playing. I don’t have the time to dig into each tune as deeply as I’d like, unfortunately, because I think having the melody under my fingers in an effortless way that correlated to my fingerings would be a huge benefit for not getting lost, voice leading, etc.

  6. #55

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    I was going to post about my process of learning this particular tune, but I was worried that certain colorful comments would hijack the thread as a result...

    Ah, what the hell.

    So working on "This I Dig of You" helped me reach a new chapter in my own playing: being able to audiate an entire tune within my aural memory without playing it on my instrument. Hearing the melody, the 3rds, the root movement, the harmonic movement all in my aural memory while playing the tune unaccompanied. Still a work in progress, and I am currently applying it to learning "My Shining Hour" for my private lessons with my teacher. He made the suggestion to keep my practice simple: focus on the roots and thirds, and internalize the shite outta that melody. Sing and play, play and sing.

    I think I read on a post in the past that memorizing the 3rds helps you hear and describe the harmony with the most precision, at least for most jazz standards and blues based tunes.

    For any of you who want a challenge, try to play the tune with just a metronome. Hell, John A. beat me to the punch. He went full Hulk mode and recorded a version totally unaccompanied.

    I think in time, unaccompanied, practice is the true test if you know a tune... which is embarrassing for me because I was only able to do this with Blues tunes in the past. Back to the woodshed. I don't think you have to a pro level player who lives "outta this world" in order to try unaccompanied practice of this sort. Start slow. Focus on as few elements as possible. Give it a shot. I wish I tried this type of practice earlier on, but I was always kinda frightened about the idea.

    I'll repost soon. My next lesson is tonight.

    By the way, how cool is it that I got to teach my high school students a little bit about audiation? I'm not even a music teacher, per say. Hey, it fit the scope of my class
    Last edited by PickingMyEars; 05-26-2021 at 09:22 PM.

  7. #56

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    Quote Originally Posted by Triple_Jazz
    Some of the previous tunes are ones I’ve been shedding a while so it’s really a testament to the idea of the virtual jam. During lockdown I’ve spent hours on videos, scales, tunes, you name it but nothing comes close to getting out there and playing with people and exchanging ideas and comments. Last jam I went to was LT’s in March of last year literally a week or two before lockdown. He was telling me to concentrate on my rhythmic articulation. I didn’t really know how to do that. I tried transcribing a few tunes and recording myself and listening back. I think this thread idea has helped me so much because I’m in the boat watching as others analyze and critique others playing which in turn helps me to look at my shortcomings. When my clips get referred to and points are made it goes a long way. Everyone’s been great about being in the same boat. Cheers for creating the virtual jam!
    LT...that my boy out in the Philly burbs?

  8. #57

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    Quote Originally Posted by PickingMyEars
    I think in time, unaccompanied, practice is the true test if you know a tune
    I’ve been practising this way for years, I think I mentioned before that it was largely because I just couldn’t be bothered to set up any kind of backing (I just like to grab the guitar and play, I don’t even bother to plug it in a lot of the time).

    I think it does force you to hear the changes and form of the tune, which must be a good thing.

    By the way, I have not been able to join in for a while due to being away, and also my house being in chaos (decorating etc.), I’ve hardly touched a guitar recently. Hoping to get back into it in a week or so!

  9. #58

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    Quote Originally Posted by PickingMyEars
    ... Hell, John A. beat me to the punch. He went full Hulk mode and recorded a version totally unaccompanied. ...
    That's mostly how I practice and play. For a change of scenery and/or to work on faster tempos I'll sometimes play with backing tracks, or maybe a a metronome when I specifically want to focus on time. But I get kind of tired of backing tracks after a fairly small number of repetitions.

  10. #59

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    I think you know the melody when you can sing it accurately. Ideally, you can play anything you can sing. If not, that's worth working on.

    You fully know the harmony when you can play the tune in any key and anywhere on the neck. But maybe that's too strict because it suggests that you can't know a tune unless you can hear and instantly find the chord changes. OTOH, if you can play a tune in any key, you know it.

  11. #60

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    Goodbye, Dig tune, it's been so nice...